Animal ear trimmer



Patented June 5, 1951 :UNITED STAT-Es PATENT OFFICE i Harlan E. Jensen, Shaker Heights, Ohio Application July 2, 1949, Serial No. 102.1864

Claims. l

This invention relates to animal ear trimming devices and, as its 4principal object, aims to provide an improved :device of this character which is easy to operate and accomplishes an efficient trimming action and which is composed of a small number of parts adapted to be economically produced and assembled.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved ear trimmer comprising cooperating members, one .of which has a guideway With a knife carrier slidable therein, and the other is a 'channeled member forming both a clamping jaw for holding the ear to be cut and a cover for the knife during its cutting stroke.

A further object is to provide an improved ear trimmer comprising cooperating jaw and body members adapted to clamp an ear therebetween and a lknife carrier slidable in a guideway to the body member, and in which the body member has spaced guide elements engaged by the jaw member and mounting the latter thereon for relative clamping movement `for holding the ear to be trimmed.

Still another object is to provide an improved ear trimmer of the character mentioned in which the guide elements of the body member are hollow arms and in which spring means mounted in such hollow guide arms act on the jaw member to shift the same relative to the body member.

As another of its objects this invention provides an improved ear trimmer of the character indicated in Which the knife has a cutting edge disposed in rearwardly inclined relation to the direction of travel of the knife carrier during the cutting stroke so as to cause cutting of the ear by the knife being drawn thereacross with a slicing action. y

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an improved ear trimmer of the character referred to which can be readily disassembled for cleaning and in which quick releasable connecting meansis employed for detachably mounting the knife on the carrier.

The invention can be further briefly summarized as consisting in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and particularly set out in the claims hereof.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, with portions broken away, showing an ear trimming device embodying the improved construction;

Fig; 2 is an end View of the device;

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section taken (Cl. 12S-305) through the device substantially on lsectior-i lineV 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary `side elevation showingy the end of the carrier which is adapted for the mounting of a knife blade thereon;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary edge view of such end portion of Vthe carrier; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective View illustrating the useof the improved ear trimming device.

.As `one embodiment ofthe invention the drawing shows an improved ear `trimmer II) comprising, in general, a pair of cooperating jaw and body members II and I2 defining therebe-- The body member I2 comprises an elongated' member having a pair of hollow guide larms I6 and I1 formed thereon or connected therewith- The jaw member II is in the form of an elon gated member or bar disposed in substantially coextending relation to the boy member I2 and having a substantially straight longitudinal clamping face 20 for cooperation with the clamping face I8 for holding an animal ear against the latter. The clamping face 2G is preferably,l

though not necessarily, provided with serrationsl 20a extending transversely thereof for more effectively gripping the ear. This jaw member has bearing portions or lugs 2| and 22 at the ends thereof which extend into the openings I9 of the hollow guide arms I6 and II for mounting the jaw member in the body member I2 and providing for movement of the jaw member toward and away from the clamping face 18. The jaw member II has a transverse thickness which corresponds with or is slightly less than the transverse width of the openings I9 of the arms I6 and I'I which permits the jaw member to be readily assembledy on the body member I2 by inserting the ends of the jaw member in succession into the hollow guide arms.

- guide arms.

The jaw member I I is retained in assembled relation to the body member I2 by the engagement of the bearing portions 2| and 22 in the hollow guide arms I6 and IT and is held against endwise shifting by pins 23 and 24 projecting from the jaw member and engageable with the To permit assembly of the jaw member in the body member, the guide arm I5 is provided with an internal slot through .which the pin 23l canpbe moved. In assembling the jaw member inthe body member, the end carrying the pin 23 is inserted into the guide arm I6 first, with the pin 23 moving through the slot 25, after which the other end of the jaw member can be inserted into the guide arm I'I.

Springs 25 and 2 act on the jaw member II to normally urge thegsame toward the body member I2 for clamping the animal ear in the clamping space or zone I3. Each of the springs 26 and 21 is a flat spring having. a pair of spaced upper and lower arms 28 and 23 extending into the opening I9 of one of the hollow guide arms. The upper spring arm 23 has an upturned retaining lug 28a at the end thereof which engages the top portion of the guide arm with a hook-like action and the lower spring arm 29 has a downturned retaining lug 29a at the end thereof which engages in a transverse' slot 3D provided in the top edge ofthe jaw member II. The springs 26 and "21 are retained in assembled relation by their hook-like lugs 28a land 29a and also by reason of the fact that their paired arms 23 and 29 extend into the openings I9 of the guide arms I6 and I'I. The upper arms 23 of these springs bear'against the tops of the guide arms IB and I'I and the lower arms 29 of the springs bear onthe jaw member II so as to constantly urge the jaw member .toward a closed or ear-clamping position. f j

As bestl seen in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing the body member I2 is provided with a channel Vor guideway 3l extending longitudinally therement 33 is in the form ofa ring mounted on the,`

ening or cleaning purposes or to permit it to be replaced by another such blade. For this pur-` pose the knife blade I5 is providedV with a pair of keyhole-shaped slots 33 and the cutter bar is provided with a pair of headed mounting pins 31. These slots and pins cooperate to form a quickdetachable bayonet connection by which the knife blade I5 is releasably mounted on the cutter bar. In mounting the knife blade I5 on the cutter bar the large endsv ofthe (keyhole slots Y 36 are applied to the pins 31 and the longitudinal movement of the knife blade in the direction to engage the pins in the narrow portions of the slots also -move the square heel portion of the knife blade into seating engagement in the square recess 350i the cutter bar.

served that the knife I5 is mounted on the cutter bar so that its cutting edge extends in upwardly and rearwardly inclined relation with respectto the direction of the cutting stroke of the bar I4 so that during such cutting stroke the cutting edge |51) will be drawn across the clamped ear projecting end of the cutter bar I4 and through which the operator can insert an index finger. The ring 33 can be connected to the cutter bar by having its ends'engaged in openings 34 formed' in the edges of the cutter bar. A

At they end of the cutter bar Id opposite to the handle element 33, this member is provided with mounting means for mounting the knife blade I5 thereon... The knife blade shown in this instance is a substantially straight flat blade having a substantially square end portion or heel Ia for engagement with the cutter bar I4 and a beveled cutting edge |517 on the portion of the blade which projects beyond or above the cutter bar. To accommodate the square heel portion I5a of the knife blade I5 the cutter bar is provided with a notch or recess of a corresponding substantially square shape in one side thereof as shown in Figs. 4 and 5and in which the square heel portionof the knife blade has seating engagement.

It is desirable that'the knife blade I5 be readily detachable from the 4cutter bar I4 for sharpand will cut the same with a smooth, clean slicing action. Y

In addition to serving as a clamping element the jaw member II also forms-.a cover for theI knife during the cutting stroke. For this pur-l pose the. jaw member II 'is of aY hollow construc-r tion and has a slot or channel 38 extending longitudinally therethrough and openingdownwardly through the clamping face 20. Thevchannel 38 extends in opposed coextending relation yto the slot 32 of the body member I2 so that the V upwardly andV rearwardly projecting portion .of

the knife I5 will be movable longitudinally through this channel during thecutting stroke.' When the jaw member II is of this hollow construction it will be observed also that it willapply clamping pressure to the animal ear along' two longitudinal lines located on opposite sides of the slot 32 and thisy will permit theknife I5 to cut the ear smoothlyand cleanly along thel full length of the clamped portion thereof.

Fig. 6 of the drawing illustrates the manner of using the trimmer I 0 and shows the same applied to the ear 40 of a dog 4I. to the dogs ear the jaw member II is lifted or opened relative to the body member I2 in opposition to the action of the springs 26 andfZI to enlarge the clamping space I 3. The portion of the ear 4U which is to be trimmed away is` inserted into this clamping'space and the jaw stroke, as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1,Y

during which the ear will be cleanly cut by the knifeV I5. Itwilll be understood, of course, that In applying the device.

this cutti'gfvfop'eration" `is `carried o1t""'while the animalis under the iniluenee of an anesthetic, preferably a general anesthetic. Y

' :From the accompanying drawings and the foregoing detailed description it will now be readily understood that this inventionprovidesan iinproved animal ear trimmer which is of such simple construction that it comprises a very small number of parts which can be economically manufactured and assembled. It will also be seen that the construction of the device is such as to permit it to be quickly disassembled for cleaning and sterilizing purposes and for sharpening or replacement of the knife blade i5. Additionally, it will now be understood that this trimming device is very easily operated and carries out the trimming operation very efliciently by producing a clean and accurate cut.

Although the improved ear trimming device of this invention has been illustrated and described herein to a somewhat detailed extent it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not to be regarded as being limited correspondingly in scope but includes all changes and modifications coming within the terms of the claims hereof.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An ear trimming device of the character described comprising, an elongated body member having a pair of spaced hollow guide arms thereon and a clamping face between said guide arms, said body member also having a channel extending therethrough and said channel having a slot extension opening through said clamping face, said guide arms being rigid with said body member and projecting at substantially right angles therefrom on the side thereof containing said slot extension, a jaw member having a clamping face in coextending opposed relation to the clamping vface of said body member and end portions slidable in said hollow guide arms for iloating movement of said jaw member toward and away from said body member, a slide movable along the channel of said body member, and a knife car- .ried by said slide and movable thereby along said slot extension for cutting engagement with an ear held between the clamping faces of said jaw and body members.

2. An ear trimming device of the character described comprising, an elongated body member having a pair of spaced hollow guide arms thereon and a clamping face between said guide arms, said body member also having a channel extending therethrough and said channel having a slot extension opening through said clamping face, said guide arms being rigid with said body member and projecting at substantially right angles therefrom on the side thereof containing said slot extension, a jaw member having a clamping face in coextending opposed relation to the clamping face of said body member and end portions slidable in said hollow guide arms for floating movement of said jaw member 'toward and away from said body member, spring means engaged in said hollow guide arms and acting on said jaw member for shifting the same relative to said body member, a slide movable along the channel of said body member, and a knife carried by said slide and movable thereby along said slot extension for cutting engagement with an ear held between the clamping faces of said jaw and body members.

3. An ear trimming device of the character described comprising, a body member having a pair of spaced hollow guide arms thereon and a clamping face' between'said guide arms, said body member also having a channel extending there-1V through and opening through said clamping face',

a jaw member having a clamping face in cof.

extending opposed relation to the clamping face of said body member and end portions slidable in said hollow guide arms for movement of .saidV jaw member towardand away from said body member, said jaw `member, being readily disengageable from said guide arms for removal of said jaw `member from said body membena slide movable along the channel of saidbody member: a knife carried by said slide and movable thereby for cutting engagement with an ear held between the clamping faces of said jaw and body members, and spring means engaged in said guide arms and acting on said jaw member for urging the same toward said body member, said spring means forming a releasable connecting means for releasably retaining said jaw member in engaged relation in said guide arms.

4. An ear trimming device of the character described comprising, a body member having a pair of spaced hollow guide arms thereon and a clamping face between said guide arms, said body member also having a channel extending therethrough and opening through said clamping face, a jaw member having a clamping face in coextending opposed relation to the clamping face of said body member and end portions slidable in said hollow guide arms for movement of said jaw member toward and away from said body member, said jaw ember being readily disengageable from said guide arms for removal of said jaw member from said body member, a slide movable along the channel of said body member, a knife carried by said slide and movable thereby for cutting engagement with an ear held between the clamping faces of said jaw and body members, and springs disposed in said guide arms and acting on said jaw member for urging the same toward said body member, said springs forming a `retaining means for releasably retaining said jaw member in connected relation to said body member and each spring comprising a leaf spring havingone end thereof connected with one of said guide arms and another end thereof connected with the corresponding end of said jaw member.

5. An animal ear trimming device comprising, an elongated body member having a pair of longitudinally spaced hollow guide arms thereon and a longitudinal clamping face between said guide arms, said body member also having a longitudinal guide channel therein and an extension slot substantially ccextensive with said guide channel and opening therefrom through said clamping face, an elongated jaw member having a longitudinal clamping face in coextending opposed relation to the clamping face of said body member and a longitudinal clearance slot opening through the clamping face of said jaw member, bearing portions on the ends of said jaw member and slidable in the hollow guide arms of said body member for movement of said jaw member relative to said body member for clamping an ear between the clamping faces thereof, spring means mounted in said guide arms and acting on said jaw member to shift the same toward said body member, a bar slidable in the guide channel of said body member and having handle means adapted to be grasped for actuating said bar, a knife, and quick-detachable pin and slot connecting means releasably connecting said knife with said bar for movement thereby along said extension slot with a portion of the knife projecting into Said clearance slot, said kniferhaving a cutting edge on the forward side thereof which` extends in rearwardly inclined relation to the longitudinal direction of the cutting movement of said bar for causing said cutting action. v y

HARLAN E. JENSEN.

REFERENCES CITED file of Vthis patent:

` 10.Y I The following references are of record in the Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Date Olsen Sept.l 10, 1935 

